Pry plate



Feb. 18, 1930. c, o, s ufl ET AL 1,747,326

PRY PLATE Filed NOV. 19. 1928 13 1f va! 3.

20 17 J 1 10 j 9 l9 v Ja a/finn- J WW Patented Feb. 18, 1930 UNITED STATES PATE T. OFFICE PRY PLATE Application filed November 19, 1928. Serial No. 320,255.

Our invention relates to pry plates of the kind adapted to be attached to the side of freight cars between the open door and the sheathing to provide, a metal hearing or bite for lever or pinch bars used in closing the doors, whereby the siding of the car is protected from the destruction caused by driving the bar therein for a like purpose.

It is well known that the doors of cars of this description are handled only with the greatest difiiculty. Handles are ordinarily provided for drawing the doors open and closed along the tracks provided for the purpose but it is rarely possible to move them by these agencies. In order, therefore, to close the door a bar having a sharp point is driven into the siding at a point as near the rear edge of the door as possible. The opposite end of the bar is then swung forward 2 against the edge of the door, pinching it forward a small amount. This movement is continued until the door has been moved inch by inch into the closed position, leaving a trail of points where the bar has been inserted into the siding, causing material damage. This practice soon necessitates replacement of the sheathing covered by the side doors. This involves not only the expense incident to materials and labor but also the temporary retirement of the car from service and the resultin increase of the number of carsnecessary to the business.

The general object of our invention is to provide improved means for protecting the sheathing of a wooden freight car from the destructive action ofa pinch bar or the like used in urging the side doors of box cars shut, comprising a formed metal strip attached to the side of the car in a position convenient for the use of a pinch bar.

\Ve have also aimed to provide a formed metal strip adapted to be attached to a car having metal siding to cooperate with a bar in closing the side doorsof the same.

Other objects and advantages of our improved construction will appear to those skilled in the art from the following description and the accompanying drawings in which- Figure 1 is a fragmentary elevation of a box car embodying our invention;

Fig. 2 is a sect the pry plate an ion on the line 2-2 showing d car door with a pinch bar inserted in the manner of operation;

Fig. 3 is a top plate, and

view of a portion of the pry Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the pry plate.

Referring to Fig. 1, is designated generally by 5 and a sliding door of the usu shown equipped hasp 8 and is the side of a box car al type by 6. The door is with the usual handle 7 and adapted to slide from the closed position shown to an open position with its edge resting aga 10 at the bottom inst the brackets 9. Guides edge of the door prevent it from swinging outward. The pry plate is designated shown in Figs. 3

generally as 11. The details of the plate are perhaps best and 4. The plate comprises an essentially flat strip of metal having reguarly spaced outwardly bowed portions 15 each of which ha therein. The end 17 of transversely s a rectangular tongue 16 cut the tongue is cut across the center 'of the strip at the outermost point 20 of the bowed portion. The tongue portions and those portions of the strip 18 which lie intermediate the bowed portions are coplanar and are adapted to lie flush against the side of the car. The

is provided with centrally located holes 19 between each su attaching the pl cceeding bowed portion for ate. 1

conventional wood sided car by means of bolts 12. The edge of the door 6 is provided with a customary protecting angle plate 13. A pinch trate the manner in which the various parts cooperate. Then the pry plate is used in moving the door ly the sameas when the door is are essentialmoved withthe operations out it except for the fact that the bar need not be driven into the side Wall of the car to The edges 20 and sections 21 of the plate formed by cutting the tongues from the outwardly bowed portions offer efprovide a bite.

fective and read ily accessible bearing points plate bar 14 is shown to illusfor the end of the bar. The point of the bar, therefore, need only be inserted into the depressions left by the tongues and the angle of the bar brought over against the door plate 13 to bring the bar into a position whereby the door may be pinched forward. A single throw of the bar will bring the door far enough forward to uncover the next succeeding bowed portion where the operations are repeated. By a succession of similar operations the door is brought to the closed position without damaging the car.

Attention is directed to a number of features which serve to make our construction especially practical and durable in use and inexpensive in manufacture and application. The edges 20 formed by cutting out the ends of the tongues serve as bearing edges for the end of the pinch bar, the outward bend of the metal acting to draw the bearing edges away from the wall and well up on the end of the pinch bar. However, were the edges 20 extended completely across the plate, there would be a tendency, in the case of very obstinate doors, for the raised sides 15 to be bent upward and perhaps be broken off. In our construction greater strength is obtained through sections 21 defined by the outer edges of the pry plate and the tongues out there in. These sections prevent the sides 15 from being displaced. It will also be seen that the tongues are not merely incidental to the formation of the bearing edges 20 and the strengthening sections 21, but in themselves serve an important purpose. Examination of Fig. 2 will show that when the bar is inserted against the bearing edges 20, were it not for the tongues 16 which serve as protective abutments the end of the bar would come in contact with the side of the car and a certain amount of damage thereto result. The tongues, however, completely protect the wood beneath since no matter in what position the bar stands it is prevented from contact with the side ofthe car. 7

Further, when a fiat plate of metal is attached to the side of a wooden boxcar moisture collects and is held between the plate and sheeting causing the sheeting to decay. In the application of our pry plate this objection is overcome by the outwardly bowed portions which permit access of air to a large portion of the sheeting which would normally be covered by the metal whereby the moisture is removed by evaporation.

The construction is also adapted for use upon steel sided cars to permit the use of inch bars in closing the doors. The plate will here offer the same advantages for prying purposes though perhaps not necessary for the protection of the car.

WVhile we have described a particular embodiment of our invention in some detail we are aware that numerous changes may be made without departing essentially therefrom and we do not wish to be limited exceptby the spirit of the invention and the appended claims, in which o claim:

1. A pry plate for freight car doors and the like comprising a metal strip having regularly spaced outwardly bowed portions each of which has a tongue cut therein.

2. A pry plate as set forth in claim 1 in which each tongue is rectangular and the end is cut transversely across the outermost point of the bowed portion.

3. A pry plate as set forth in claim 1 in which the tongue portions and those which lie intermediate the bowed portions are coplanar and adapted to lie flush against the side of a car.

4. A pry plate for freight car doors and the like comprising a metal strip having bearing edges pressed up at regularly spaced intervals and intermediate abutment portions, the bearing edges providing bites for a pry bar and the abutment portions protecting the side of the car from the point of the pry bar.

5. A pry plate for freight car doors and the like adapted to be attached to the side of a car between the car and the open door comprising a metal strip having regularly spaced transversely raised bearing portions adapted to receive the end of a pry bar, marginal strengthening portions, coplanar portions between the first mentioned portions comprising transverse sections adapted to rest against and receive means for attaching a strip to a car, and longitudinal tongue portions extending to points beneath the bearing portions adapted to limit the inward movement of the end of the bar, the whole serving to provide a bearing for a pry bar and preventing its contact with the car wall while a door is being closed by operation of the bar.

6. A pry plate for freight car doors comprising a metal strip adapted to be attached to the side of a car between the open door and the car and having regularly spaced outwardly bowed portions alternated with coplanar portions, each of said outwardly bowed portions having three sides of a rectangular tongue out therefrom, said tongue lying in the plane of the coplanar portions and being adapted to rest against the side of a car to protect the same, one side of said out passing transversely across a portion of the strip at the outermost point in the bowed portions, said transverse cut being adapted to receive the end of a lever bar when the door is being closed.

CLARENCE O. SHUNK. 'MATTHIAS REDLINGER. 

